HI,
Has anyone managed to use esphome to monitor their Axpert inverter? Using the RS232-TTL method.
https://esphome.io/components/pipsolar.html
I've tried making up the rj45(rs232)->ttl converter cable ( https://github.com/syssi/esphome-pipsolar ), but i just get continious QPIRI Timeouts leading to me to believe the cable be working correctly. or that i have some sort of incorrect parameters or config.
 

[13:13:40][D][pipsolar:757]: timeout command to poll: QPIRI

[13:13:40][D][pipsolar:840]: Sending polling command : QPIRI with length 5

Or if anyone is able to provide the pinout for a RCT axpert 5k RS232 (RJ45) Port? 
Any help would be hugely appreciated.

 

So i Managed to come right in the end. The issue was with the Mircro RS232 to TTL converter. The toip and bottom on the chip were 2 different channels. and after swapping around the rj45 pin1 and 2. it started communicating

Hi

I'm also looking into using an ESP32 to communicate with the inverter from Homeassistant.

Do you know if all the Axpert type inverters have a RS232 port or UART.

Is it not possible to connect the ESP32 directly to the RJ45 port?

39 minutes ago, Adri76 said:

Hi

I'm also looking into using an ESP32 to communicate with the inverter from Homeassistant.

Do you know if all the Axpert type inverters have a RS232 port or UART.

Is it not possible to connect the ESP32 directly to the RJ45 port?

Hi,
Depends on your Axpert inverter. It is using the PIP solar from ESPhome, but seems most axperts do work, if they use the rj45 rs232 port to communicate. ( I did hear some models only have USB)
You do need a RS232 to TTL Converter. This will be between your RJ45 and your node TX/RX/GND/3V3.
https://www.robotics.org.za/MX3232-MOD?search=rs 232 ttl
If you are capable soldering. There are better ones though
For this Chip you would use the pinout in the image below.
And you can follow esphome for the node config.
https://esphome.io/components/pipsolar.html

Edit, i Havent tried the USB UART or directly to the NodeMCU. But i dont see why USB to TTL wont work if the inverter provides communication over usb port. But you would still need i presume a USB type B-> USB-to UART module -> Node. I Have heard that the USB is sometimes unreliable. But the Method via the RJ45 (rs232) works like a charm

Edited November 10, 20214 yr by R3plic8

On 2021/11/10 at 1:29 PM, R3plic8 said:

You do need a RS232 to TTL Converter. This will be between your RJ45 and your node TX/RX/GND/3V3

This part is important.  The ESP, Arduino, STM32, etc. all use TTL level RS232, so 3.3v or 5v.  If you connect it directly to an Axpert inverter it will fry the RS232 port or the ESP/Arduino/etc.

On 2021/11/10 at 1:29 PM, R3plic8 said:

Edit, i Havent tried the USB UART or directly to the NodeMCU. But i dont see why USB to TTL wont work if the inverter provides communication over usb port. But you would still need i presume a USB type B-> USB-to UART module -> Node. I Have heard that the USB is sometimes unreliable. But the Method via the RJ45 (rs232) works like a charm

That won't work.  Axpert inverters doesn't use UART over USB converter.  They expose the device as a USB HID device.  It is also exposed as a device, not a host.  So you need a USB host (if you don't know what this means, stop now because it is going to get much, much harder and more complex).  This is non-trivial to implement, or maybe it has been implemented already for ESP32.  Considering that RS232 is more reliable and is a synchronous protocol (USB as asynchronous), highly recommend sticking to RS232 when possible

6 hours ago, Gnome said:

This part is important.  The ESP, Arduino, STM32, etc. all use TTL level RS232, so 3.3v or 5v.  If you connect it directly to an Axpert inverter it will fry the RS232 port or the ESP/Arduino/etc.

That won't work.  Axpert inverters doesn't use UART over USB converter.  They expose the device as a USB HID device.  It is also exposed as a device, not a host.  So you need a USB host (if you don't know what this means, stop now because it is going to get much, much harder and more complex).  This is non-trivial to implement, or maybe it has been implemented already for ESP32.  Considering that RS232 is more reliable and is a synchronous protocol (USB as asynchronous), highly recommend sticking to RS232 when possible

Yes, you do not want to be using the power pin from the axpert RS232, unless you using some sort of buck converter which i wouldn't recommend doing, unless you know whats going on.

Sorry i Also Forgot about the nodes limitations on hosting a USB to UART.. This is not Implemented in the ESP32, But has been mention of it possibly in futureversions.
From my side the RS232 is perfect and via node gives me the outputs i need to pass via HA with out the extra added cost of a pi.

But yes, IF you do not know what you doing, i'd rather suggest sticking to a easier solution. Otherwise reading up on all the threads and documentation

It seems that my inverter has R232 port via RJ45 port.

I will try the RS232<->TTL.

Hi @R3plic8,

This is interesting I never knew of this esphome integration & im a hass + esphome user!!

Question: Have you had a play with this and collected metrics to hass & are able to change your input/output sources on the inverter ?

Im using this at the moment and it is working very well, just curious on this plugins polling cycle for data collection, ive gotten this integration down to about 10 second refresh but sometimes only see inbound data every 15/20/30 seconds so its not perfect but ive been managing my system for over a year using this method.

Curious if this is any better? (I have a esp32 & nodemcu here in a box waiting lol...)

On 2021/12/14 at 8:41 AM, Proxicon said:

Hi @R3plic8,

This is interesting I never knew of this esphome integration & im a hass + esphome user!!

Question: Have you had a play with this and collected metrics to hass & are able to change your input/output sources on the inverter ?

Im using this at the moment and it is working very well, just curious on this plugins polling cycle for data collection, ive gotten this integration down to about 10 second refresh but sometimes only see inbound data every 15/20/30 seconds so its not perfect but ive been managing my system for over a year using this method.

Curious if this is any better? (I have a esp32 & nodemcu here in a box waiting lol...)

I did see that docker version but i never tried it myself. Did the data show up as a entity in overview or through the energy section on HA?

I had it running on a ESP8266 and was just pulling the data as a entity in overview. it was pretty quick responsive wise and would refresh every second or so. I did not use it for any sending or changing of input/output settings on the inverter, but with the 8266 you are limited to how many invertor "sensors" you can use before running into issues.. At the moment i dont have it connected it up as I've changed to a esp32 board thats also running my solar geyser and pool pump and in still of the process of connecting it up again. so once everything is up and running on the ESP32 ill do some more testing.

On 2021/12/19 at 11:32 AM, R3plic8 said:

I did see that docker version but i never tried it myself. Did the data show up as a entity in overview or through the energy section on HA?

yes they are all showing up as entities but not as "native energy" entities that can be used in that energy dash but that was no fuss to convert power to energy and use it in the energy dash, converted the "amps in|out" to watts - > kw & then finally energy readings too to get the battery stats to work.

I had to convert some of the whatts values to kw first (creates new kw entities)



and then feed these converted values to the power integration that produces proper energy values that were required for the energy dash.

and then I played with the utility plugin to create by own "energy dash" (this was before hass released their) - I don't look at this as much anymore but kept it as a aesthetic to show to people.

Hey! I managed to get this running on my inverter, but when it's plugged in I get an error code 5, and the temperature reading on the Home Assistant reads 600C

Has anyone experienced something similar?

I got it all up and running!

On 2022/01/13 at 3:00 PM, Proxicon said:

yes they are all showing up as entities but not as "native energy" entities that can be used in that energy dash but that was no fuss to convert power to energy and use it in the energy dash, converted the "amps in|out" to watts - > kw & then finally energy readings too to get the battery stats to work.
 

I'm also very interested in going ESP32 way. Raspberry Pi's are rare and expensive regardless. I have a setup with x6 7.2kw Axpert and x6 Hubble batteries. I would like to see how many Inverter's telemetry you can poll on one esp32?

Going to try and post back here when I have it working. There's a couple of esp32 mini's lying in my drawer as well as esp32vroom's. What do you think will work the best? Apart from the obvious shortage in PIN count on the mini.

On 2022/03/06 at 7:36 PM, Adagio said:

I got it all up and running!

Hi Adagio

To which port did you connect on your inverter? The USB or the Computer RJ45 port?

3 hours ago, Sarel Seekat said:

Hi Adagio

To which port did you connect on your inverter? The USB or the Computer RJ45 port?

I used the RJ45 Jack with an RS232 converter.

I'm planning on making a PCB to make it easy if your interested.

13 hours ago, Adagio said:

I used the RJ45 Jack with an RS232 converter.

I'm planning on making a PCB to make it easy if your interested.

Are you planning on including an R232 -> TTL in the PCB? - Message me privately and we can talk.

On 2022/03/22 at 11:09 PM, Adagio said:

I used the RJ45 Jack with an RS232 converter.

I'm planning on making a PCB to make it easy if your interested.

Place your work up on GitHub if you don't mind - im happy to contribute to the project.

10 hours ago, Proxicon said:

Place your work up on GitHub if you don't mind - im happy to contribute to the project.

I mean it's just hardware and it's already done.

The first boards are on their way from China.

Hi all,

 

I need assistance with wiring.

I’m using this RS232 converter:

https://www.robotics.org.za/DB9-RS232TTL?search=rs 232 ttl
 

I’ve cut the female db9 off the wire that came with the inverter and put a male one on it, I’m unsure where pin 1 and pin 2 from the rj45 must be soldered to in the db9. Then from the rs232-ttl module to the esp8266 I’m also unsure which wire goes where.

Thanks in advance.

I have a Solarwize 3000kva inverter.